WND EXCLUSIVE

Biden turns 'Nixonian' on gun control

'If I understand this correctly, if you're on the White House side you are legitimate'

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially.

A Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who has been frustrated in his effort to buy time on Washington-area radio stations to air his pro-Second Amendment message says Vice President Joe Biden is getting free help from media to promote the president’s gun-restriction campaign.

Barack Obama has been using the Newtown, Conn., massacre to campaign for a ban on certain types of guns and weapons accessories. He also wants to establish a national registry for guns and gun owners.

“Steve Vaus, creator of the Buck Howdy character, was watching the president’s efforts to build momentum for gun restrictions when a song came to him.

The tune about the attempted confiscation of a gun during the Texas Revolution is called “Come and Take It.”

But Vaus has been repeatedly turned down in his attempt to purchase airtime for the song, which was condensed from a longer version.

“To be very blunt with you, we’re counting on all of you, the legitimate news media, to cover these discussions because the truth is that times have changed,” Biden said, according to the Washington Examiner.

He said there are those who would “misrepresent” the White House’s “plans for gun control.”

“The social media that exists out there, the tragedies that have occurred, the Supreme Court decision affirming that it’s an individual right to bear arms – all give a lie to the argument that what we’re trying to do is somehow unconstitutional, or somehow goes after the legitimate right to own and bear arms and to hunt and protect yourselves,” Biden said.

However, the Obama administration, and specifically Obama, recently were accused of a long list of offenses that could be considered grounds for impeachment, because they violate the Constitution.

Obama’s actions on issues ranging from “Fast and Furious” to Benghazi were described as “insane” and “clearly an impeachable offense.”.

Vaus said Biden’s comments are startling.

“So if I understand this correctly, if you’re on the White House’s side you are legitimate,” he said. “If you disagree, you are illegitimate. Sounds rather Nixonian.”

He noted the report said: “People who watch the speech on a cable network will see (former Rep. Gabby) Giffords on their TV sets before the speech begins. Her PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions, is spending six figures to run an ad featuring the former congresswoman insisting that ‘Congress must act’ to reduce gun violence. It will air right before and again after the president’s address.

“Contrast that with WMAL’s refusal, Clear Channel’s refusal and now, what is apparently a refusal by Comcast Cable TV in D.C. to sell time for my message,” Vaus said.

“It is troubling on so many levels that the media is willing to sell time for a gun control message but NOT a message re gun rights,” he said.

He noted that Obama, Biden and others even have been traveling around the country presenting a gun control message at the expense of taxpayers, including those who disagree with the message.

In Vaus’ most recent effort to obtain airtime in the Washington area, he approached Comcast.

Regional Account Executive Jeff Gray told Vaus that Comcast’s legal team was reviewing the spot. He promised to respond again “shortly.”

The song defies advocates of gun confiscation with a slogan of the Texas Revolution, “Come and take it.”

But WMAL General Sales Manager Todd Freundlich told Vaus, “After reviewing the spot with my program director we have determined that it is too controversial for us to air.”

The response from Ivan Blank, key account director with Clear Channel, said: “Steve, unfortunately the spot in its present form is not acceptable to air on our stations. If you care to, we can write a spot for your approval that gets your point out there to our audiences. If that is an option please send us a set of ‘talking points’ and we can give it a go. Thanks, Ivan”

Vaus has promised he will get his message out somehow.

“Nothing will stop me from getting this message heard in Washington, D.C. If I have to stand in front of the White House and the Capitol building with a boom box, so be it,” Vaus said.

Steve Vaus

WND previously reported the song, “Come and Take It,” was written to rally gun owners with its remember-the-Alamo-style message.

A music video also was produced with a special message for Obama and members of Congress.

Though the song itself is more vague, the video leaves no doubt who Vaus is talking to in the lyrics.

“Mr. President, members of Congress,” Vaus says in the opening to the video, “you’ve been making a lot of noise about taking our guns away. But you might want to review history.

“1835. Gonzales, Texas Territory,” Vaus continues. “The authorities wanted to confiscate the big gun that protected that colony. You know what the people said? ‘Come and take it.’ Because they were willing to fight for their freedom and their guns. So are we.”

The video then launches into the pointed chorus: “Come and take it if you want it. Come and take it if you think you can. Come and take it, but we’ll warn you, you’ll have to pry it from our cold, dead hands.”

The lyrics continue: “We want the freedom that God gave us, so you best not cross that line. If you want this gun you gotta to come through us and take it, one shot at a time.”

The slogan, “Come and take it,” became the battle cry of the Texas Revolution after the 1835 Battle of Gonzalez, in which the people Texans the Mexican government’s demand to return a cannon that had been given them for self-defense. Rather than surrender the cannon to Mexican dragoons, the people stormed the Mexican camp and drove the soldiers away.

As Vaus sings, “You just don’t mess with Texas, especially when it comes to guns.”

Vaus' song proves timely, as Obama recently announced 23 new "executive actions" aimed at restricting gun use and availability in the U.S. and called for Congress to pass further gun-control legislation.

Several states are considering ways to counter the president's agenda, and many individuals fear the president is putting the U.S. on a path toward confiscating guns.

Vaus' song, however, warns that gun ownership is a God-given right and violators of that right had best beware.

Vaus has performed, produced and recorded with Billy Ray Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Willie Nelson, Kenny Loggins, Leann Rimes, Randy Travis and Kenny Rogers. He's a four-time Grammy nominee (with a win in 2010) and has performed with the Billy Graham Crusades, at the Grand Ole Opry and at the White House.

A previous song by Vaus, "We Must Take America Back," drew massive attention when it was released in the 1990s.

"There's an unspoken fear, We're on our way down," he penned. "We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states. Washington, D.C., before it's too late:"

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Last year, Vaus stirred controversy with his satirical look at the government's decision to impose invasive body-scans and full-body patdowns on airline travelers. Millions have viewed his work online.

The song was a parody of "Help Me Make It Through the Night":

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Vaus also, in the period after 9/11, created "There Is an Eagle," which zoomed to the top of the country charts.